My parents moved to Chestermere this summer and as they were gardening they discovered several buried stepping stones in their yard. Large flat flag stones were just below the surface and had become grown over with sod. With a bit of work they uncovered the stones and now we can see a clear path across their garden. It’s beautiful!
Thriving communities happen when we rediscover pathways towards each other. We do not buy our way to great communities, rather we discover a new way meet each other, love each other, have fun, care, ask for help, and come to the rescue. It’s a way of life and this summer can be one of rediscovered connection and stories of hope and goodness. So let’s take the next step.
First stepping stone: we never wait for a great neighbourhood, we enjoy what is before us today. Our city will not be amazing ‘some-day’ and we do not postpone our part in making it special. We start enjoying it now, loving others today, and one day we will turn around to discover our street or community became far more than we dreamt it could be.
Second stepping stone: remember what you love about your community. This pandemic season was hard, but many people I meet have a list of things that make them proud to be in their community. Has a neighbour cared for your in a special way? Have you forged a new friendship? Did you find a new local business that has made your life better? Remembering what is good opens the door for new life.
Third stepping stone: don’t blame others. It’s easy in a neighbourhood to say that all the problems are someone else’s fault. The failed store clerk, politician, poorly designed parking lot, or pile of litter can make us cynical and angry. That blame can spill over and become the focus of our story. Even worse, we might come to believe our bitterness and apply it broadly. Remove the blame and you’ll see our city in a new way that may even involve you in a way you could not have expected.
Fourth stepping stone: neighbourhoods are made up of people. People are weird, creative, sad, courageous, and sometimes fail or surprise us. When we realize that our city is made up of over twenty thousand people we begin to give room for their oddity and presence in our lives. They may play music loudly, vote differently than you, or park in your spot, but they are people worthy of love and that can change the way you see the world, and even your own life.
Fifth stepping stone: caring for your neighbourhood takes less than 10 minutes. Stopping to say hello, cheering on a kid, helping carry a piece of furniture, or cleaning up a mess takes a moment but the impact lasts much longer. Give yourself time to be interrupted and even ‘put-out’ knowing your are exchanging a mere moment in time for a truly remarkable neighbourhood worth a lifetime of goodness.
Creating thriving neighbourhoods can seem like hard work, but it is really the revealing work of stepping stones, and a pathway towards each other. Be encouraged as you rediscover the way to your community this summer.
